This time Isabel didn't argue with her about her hair. She seemed mollified that CC was willing to wear her shift under the coarse night robe, and CC solved the bathing problem by saying she was too tired to wash that night—she would do it in the morning. Isabel had even appeared concerned at CC's obvious exhaustion and nagged her good-naturedly about doing too much too soon. CC agreed readily with her and asked only that Isabel make sure she wasn't disturbed so that she could get a good night's rest. Isabel limped out, humming happily as her charge pretended to fall asleep before the scullery had finished folding her clothes and banking the fire.
As soon as the door was closed CC leapt out of bed, pulled the scratchy robe off and put on her shoes. The clank of her many bracelets sounded like alarm bells ringing in the quiet room, and she quickly took off all her jewelry, except, of course, Gaea's amulet, leaving the bangles and rings in a sparkling puddle in the center of her cot. Pressing her ear against the door, she listened intently. She could hear nothing—not even the sound of the monks' swooshing robes.
"They're probably all in church or something," CC muttered to herself.
She went to the narrow dresser and set the pitcher and bowl carefully on the floor. Then, very slowly, so that she didn't make any noise, she dragged the heavy piece of furniture over to the window. Using the bottom drawers as ladder rungs, she climbed to its smooth top. CC breathed a sigh of relief. It was the perfect height. All she had to do was sit in the narrow window frame and let her legs dangle down until she found a toehold. And she'd noticed on her walk that there was a lot of debris outside against the wall. She shouldn't have any trouble piling enough up so that she could easily climb back through the window.
She peered into the night. The moon had just risen. It was almost full, and it glistened off the waiting ocean like a beacon. When she looked at the water, the ache in her body twisted unbearably. Nothing moved outside her window. She slid onto the windowsill. With her soft, moccasin-like slippers, it was easy for her to find a toehold, balance and then drop quietly to the grassy ground. Her feet felt light as she picked her way carefully down the side of the cliff, following the well-worn sheep path. She could hear her own heartbeat echo the sound of the waves.
Then her feet sank into sand, and she was standing on the shore, quivering with need.
What am I supposed to do? CC's mind screamed. She was panting, and she felt disoriented.
"Simply call your true body to you, Daughter."
Smiling graciously at her, Gaea was sitting near the beach leaning comfortably against the trunk of an ancient tree.
"I don't know how," CC gasped.
"Your body does. Listen to it," the goddess reassured her.
CC tried to listen, but all she could hear was the call of the water.
'Then follow that call," Gaea said, as if she could read her mind.
CC started to walk forward, but paused when the god-dess called, "Take off your chemise. You do not want them to have any evidence of where you have been."
Without any hesitation, CC pulled off her shift. Naked except for the goddess's sparkling amulet, she walked into the ocean's embrace. Stretching her arms over her head, she dove into the surf. I want my true body back, she thought desperately. The tingling began at her waist and spread quickly down her body, exploding in a burst of energy out through the feathered fins that replaced her feet. Her powerful tail sliced through the water, propelling her forward. Then, with a simple flick she changed directions and shot up through the surface with a joyous shout. CC shook the water from her head and looked for the goddess, but she had disappeared.
She was about to call a thank-you, or a good-bye, or something, after the absent goddess, when she felt the skin on the back of her neck twitch. Just like it felt at the cove, she thought. Someone had to be watching her.
A familiar chattering behind CC made her jump, but she turned with a happy cry of welcome.
"It is you! I'm so glad to see you." CC swam over to the dolphin and stroked her slick side.
I have missed you, Princess. The dolphin nuzzled her.
"I've missed you, too," CC said. "Swim with me—I want to be surrounded by the water."
Of course, Princess!
The dolphin butted CC playfully, then dove under the waves. Laughing, CC followed. Surprisingly, it wasn't dark under the moonlit surface. The crystal waters seemed to capture the light of the moon and the underwater world was illuminated with a silver glow. CC was thrilled by how easily she caught the dolphin and she reveled in the power of her body as the two of them played tag, swimming around the rocks that dotted the shallows, then over and through colorful masses of coral that grew in deeper water. CC wanted to swim on forever. The deeper within the water she swam, the more she wanted to immerse herself in the silken depths and never leave.
A strong hand grabbed her arm and jerked her to a stop.
CC whirled, at once frightened and angry. Dylan floated in front of her, worry creasing his brow.
The goddess told you that you must stay near the shore. The words bored into her mind.
A shudder passed through CC. How could she have forgotten about Sarpedon? She looked frantically around.
Sarpedon is not here tonight, but he does search the waters for you, so you must have care where you go.
How do you know all of this? CC thought to him.
Come near the shore, and I will explain.
The dolphin swam back between them, clicking and whistling restlessly. CC watched the merman's face soften as he gently touched the creature's blue-gray side.
I will care for the princess now, faithful one.
The dolphin ducked her head, nuzzled briefly against CC's side and then disappeared into the depths.
Dylan gestured towards the shore, and CC nodded. She followed the merman, noticing how in the moonlit water the orange and gold of his tail glistened like it glowed magically from within.
They surfaced next to one of the huge rocks that lined the shallows. CC faced the merman. Tonight his thick dark hair was tied back. He floated next to her with his shoulders and most of his chest exposed above the water. The moonlight touched his bare chest and clearly illuminated muscular ridges and hollows. CC still felt a little uneasy at her own body's nakedness, and she was glad that her mass of hair covered her breasts.
"Okay, now tell me how you know so much," CC demanded, covering her nervousness with a no-nonsense military tone of voice.
"I followed you."
"After you just happened to be there to rescue me and bring me to shore?" CC shook her head. "That doesn't explain enough. You were there when I was drowning, and now you're here again tonight. Seems too coincidental for me."
"I followed you from the grotto," he admitted, looking away from her with a pained expression. "I did not know Sarpedon had you trapped in the cave. I knew something was very wrong when I could not find you for the length of an entire day. It was only after you escaped from him that I found you again. I followed you to the goddess's cove, and I watched your transformation. That is how I knew to help you when you were drowning."
"So you know that I'm not really Undine?"
"I know that the soul of another lives in Undine's body," he answered simply.
"You say that so easily, like it's a normal thing. You obviously knew Undine before. Doesn't this surprise you, or upset you, or make you angry? Why are you willing to help me when you know that I'm not her?"
"Undine and I were childhood playmates. We spent many years together," he explained, choosing his words carefully. "But she was not happy here. She longed for the land even before Sarpedon desired her."
"Did you love her?" CC asked, suddenly understanding the strained expression on the merman's face.
Dylan's jaw tightened, but he nodded his head. "Yes, but she would not allow herself to love a creature of the seas."
"But she was a mermaid—and that is definitely a creature of the sea."
"When you are on the land, your body is human, is it not?" Dylan asked.
"Yes, of course."
"But do you not long continually for the water?"
CC's memory of that horrible, empty ache was sharp. "Yes, constantly."
Dylan's smile was sad. "That is how Undine felt. I am glad for her. She has finally been granted her wish and her longing has ended."
"Then you're helping me out of love for her." CC was ashamed of the twinge of jealousy she felt.
"I could not very well let you drown." Dylan's sudden grin was boyishly endearing. He reached out to pluck a long piece of seaweed from CC's hair. "And you know nothing of how to be a creature of the sea."
CC surprised herself by batting playfully at his hand. "And you're going to teach me?"
He raised one eyebrow at her rakishly. "That I will, my princess."
CC's heart did a little skip beat at his expression. Did his words have a double meaning, or was she being too sensitive?
CC told herself firmly not to be ridiculous. He was being kind to her because he was in love with Undine. Well, she could certainly allow herself the pleasure of his company—and she truly had a lot to learn about his world. She spread her arms, meaning to encompass the entire ocean. "Good! I want to know everything."